Early presents

Looks like her make-up is smudged must have had one to many when I was doing this. 

Today I am posting late because drove my friend back to the airport, she flies back to Phoenix today, she is a snow bird, lives in Canada, winters in Arizona.  Lucky girl, though we are definitely having spring like weather here.  She bought me an early 60 th  birthday present, from Ikea that I have been admiring for awhile now,  and shared the picture in email and told her I  was thinking about getting iit and what does she do today but give  the  cart,,,what a lucky girl I am, here is the picture from IKEA, I still

have to put it together, which is like putting a science project together.

is this not fricking cute, I am going to put all my paints and stuff in, I will share a picture of it, when I have it all together, with everything in it.

Fridays tut

I am having trouble with my scanner and face colour, so since it is not posting the face colour, I am leaving if off for the scan for here, and then finishing it up later.  Here are your friday tuts that I find really good, hope you like them.  Her pin is a new stamp I just got, I like butterflies but cant make my own stamp, cause its turn out like crap, so I bought one.  How do you like the pointed face, I kinda like it, maybe I will keep it.


just some really great tuts I have found/ check them out
http://homegrownhospitality.typepad.com/homegrown_hospitality/configuration-box-tutorial-1-.html

http://jennibelliestudio.blogspot.ca/2013/02/organic-art-journal-tutorial.html

http://www.strathmoreartiststudio.com/

http://redlead.typepad.com/artsee/2013/02/crackled-distressed-paint-red-lead-style.html

http://alisaburke.blogspot.ca/2013/02/creative-coat-hangers.html

http://blog.papercrafterslibrary.com/featured-artist-ronda-palazzari/

Over thinking????

Well hello, welcome to day 21 of 29 faces.....

Today I am off to the airport, to pick up a friend who is flying in

for a couple of days.  On the way I am stopping at Michaels and looking for 

a certain sketch pad my Michaels doesn't have, its my favourite, and its cheap.  Just picked up a bookbinding book at the library, with 5 more on order, I am going to be a book binding fool before you know it. I just have to jump in and stop over thinking it.  Do you tend to over think things?

She was blinded by the light

If you have been reading my blog  for awhile you know I like two things 

can you guess, yes if you guessed pattern and colour you would be right.

Well I have finished drawing all the faces for the challenge, all 29 faces,

so you will see faces till the end of the month.  But meanwhile , I can  get onto

some other art things, don't know what yet, but something.

Maybe some more collage,

maybe I will throw some paint around on the canvas I am working on.

Its a beautiful sunny , but cold day here, I don't mind the cold

when its sunny,.

Okay talk to you  tomorrow

What are you working on?

low brow art

Another Art Geeks Challenge, this is lowbrow art, I think.  I am enjoying learning about these different kinds of art and trying to create them, sometimes I might not get them right, but I have fun trying.

Do you have a favourite TV show that you love to watch?

Are your going to Scarborough Fair

This is a piece that I did for a group I am in   a group called "ArtGeeks|

Rhomany has prompts, she is doing time periods

this one I think is the Renaissance period,

and this is what I came up with, I just did it, so it

should count for the face challenge.

Well today just like in the States its a holiday, we call our

Holiday Family Day, I think yours is presidents day.

Today it is just Home made Hamburger soup

and grilled tuna melts, been busy all

day organizing, my daughter asked me to help her,

I love organizing so was glad to go.

So what have you been up to?

Nightwear

This is not what I wear to bed, I wear an old t shirt and pyjama pants,

I believe in being comfy in bed, I don't wear a nightgown, because, it always rides up, to

much information, ok I am done telling you what I wear to bed, get that visual out of your head.

Her nightgown I made from tape, the only thing I think turned out well is part of her arm.

Well I am off to help the Shopper clean up a bit, I think she wants some company,

the boyfriend went to work. 

I turned to Gelli

Lately on all the blogs all you hear about is the Gelli Plate and how they made these fabulous papers and how great it is.  Well those of us (and there is alot) who cant get these fabulous Plates,or who don't want to pay high shipping costs cant get them.  So here is what you can do, you can use glass (like a frame glass), do the same stuff that they do on the plate, and almost get the same effect, I am going to do this today and try it out. There are lots of youtube videos on this technique using glass, I tried to link but it didn't work.

To smell me is to love me

Just in case you missed the link this is the journal I am making

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Si2aHBOyx1k

A really good tut showing how to draw lips and paint them, I need all the help I can get

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkPWQ6x0Fd0

I did this technique several times, so easy and fun

http://dianatrout.typepad.com/blog/2012/10/tutorial-make-fabric-cloth.html

there are some great tuts here, I like her style

http://homegrownhospitality.typepad.com/homegrown_hospitality/configuration-box-tutorial-1-.html

 a free download from one of my favourite artists

and maybe an idea for next year

http://www.flickr.com/photos/80985976@N00/8472998704/sizes/l/in/photostream/

another great video stencilling on newspaper for your journal

http://balzerdesigns.typepad.com/balzer_designs/2013/02/stenciling-newspaper.html

Spread the love

Hope you have a great day .  Hubby is taking me out for lunch.

Trying to stay away from the chocolate goes straight to my hips

lee

Friends....

Day 13 of the face challenge, and I am keeping up, (patting my shoulder)

I am off to visit my best friend who is in the hospital again, she has been sick

many years with Scleroderma (an autoimmune problem_

 this disease has affected her life

in so many ways, and there is no cure.  It took her kidney, it gave her a heart attack,

gout so bad they cant cure it, it has left her with no resistance to any

viruses, diabetes 's she has suffered so much, but yet she manages to put on a brave face

and go on, she is my inspiration so when I have a bad day I just think of 

her and pick myself up and go on again.  We have been friends since grade 6, lived on the same street, and became best buddies and have ever since.  We introduced her to her husband, we went through deaths in our families, births, miscarriages her (she never had kids),.  She never complains about her life, and always even if she has a bad day has a smile.  She is in and out of the hospital  monthly. AlI I can say is I awed by her bravery and her zest for living in the moment.  

Do you have a friend a best friend like this not sick but who is there a constant in your life?

Sipping a cuppa and dreaming

Told you I was getting tired of drawing normal faces

Today I have been swimming, and made lunch and now am going to walk the dog.  T hats how

exciting my day is shaping up to be.  It's funny you wait all you life to retire and have

time on your hands, and then you retire and think is that all there is.  Because in your mind or at least mine,

i thought of travelling the world, just doing fun things.  But you forget they someone still needs to cook the meals, clean the house, and to travel the world you cant do that all year long, or you would have to

go back to work. But no I would not like to go back to work, I did that already, so

I am taking this life and enjoying it, and my mind can still think that I am in Bali.

lee

A Manly man

welcome to my world, this is what happens, when I get tired of drawing women's

faces, out pops this manly man (lol)

I am late in posting today usually I do it in the AM but I have been super busy,

running all over town today doing errands, so here I am finally.  

Other than that making faces in advance so I dont have to worry about

ever catching up, because once I get behind, you might as well forget it.

well I will be back tommorow

lee

Tuts for you

I couldnt get all my words in on the scan it say's  SHE WAS AGEING GRACEFULLY,
today I bring you some tuts that I think are great, enjoy:

http://aweebitwarped.blogspot.ca/2013/02/journal-page-step-by-step.html
Shelly makes a journal page and turns out beautiful

 http://janeville.blogspot.ca/2013/02/tiny-tutorial-valentines.html
 Jane make some really sweet valentines from felt and hand sews around the edges

journal-page-step-by-step.htmlhttp://janedavies-collagejourneys.blogspot.ca/2013/02/making-postcards-video.html

Another Jane make postcards from one sheet of paper, amazing, really check this out

Well that\s it for today, have a good one,

lee

I wish that I was Picasso's Girl

Well another day another face, Pablo had created this face first, and then I put my

own spin on it, the fingers need some work, Pablo's were perfect, I was

trying to find the reference photo but now I cant find the site.

Its snowing here, and the wind is howling, but there is money to be

spent on shopping, so someone has to brave the elements and

get out and keep this economy going, so its going to have to be me

so until tomorrow

Au revori

here is a link to the journal I am making really easy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Si2aHBOyx1k

Its not always Black and White

I like black and white, it really makes your eye take it all in.  I also love me

some red. I have no idea why I made her squinty eyed, looks like she needs glasses, must be from all that black and white she wears.

So I am still doing the challenge and still creating these women, and I havent

run out of ideas yet.  I have done a couple of things, exchanged ATC's with

 http://inlailascorner.blogspot.ca/

in Norway

made a journal card for Janet

http://jkbees.blogspot.ca/2013/02/face-6-of-29-faces-challenge.html

and a collage postcard from here

http://mailmesomeart.blogspot.ca/2013/02/mandys-collage-sheet-challenge-due.html

and am still trying to make a book, got the pages folded, but thats it, watched the video at 4 times

so now I just need to do it

lee

Matisse times two

click on picture to make bigger

I was at one of my favourite sites and she had painted

this Matisse http://artofmyrajae.blogspot.ca/2013/02/myra-dont-mangle-matisse.html

and suddenly I know I wanted to try it.  Myra and I have completely different

styles, so there not the same, her's in fact looks more Matisse ish than

mine.  My  arms are mangled looking, and the chair is orange, but the

scan does not scan orange for some strange reason.

But I had fun making my own version, and am looking now for

other pictures to do 

Daddy Long Legs

Yes its winter out, she has on her boots and her mittens, the hands I sketched looked mangled, so

I put mittens on her, and a body suit.  How would you like to have legs like that?

Bad Posture  because of those legs, you would have a bad back I am sure.

Well that's it for today, like to keep them short and sweet, so you

will keep reading.

I found a really good tutorial on one of the sites I frequent

I love it when artists share

http://andria-drawingnear.blogspot.ca/2013/02/i-cant-resist.html

go check it out its worth it

lee

A Chin like Leno

Yes she has a chin like  Jay  Leno, but it gives her a air of distinction (lol)

I am enjoying making these faces, I am trying not to make them all  look the same,

one thing they all have is blue eyes (I have blue eyes) I have a regular sized head and no Leno Chin

Today Hubby sister is in town visiting so we all are going out for lunch, I think I like going 

out for lunch better than dinner

tonight's dinner is home-made tomato soup, and chicken on a bun

sounds like lunch, oh well to bad

that's all for today, see you tomorrow

beam me up scotty

click on her and she will get bigger

Yes I have officially joined 29 faces, you can too, 

 http://29faces.blogspot.ca/

If you can't figure out how to do it, email me, I had a heck of a time but figured it out  

Okay, yes she does have Spock ears, linebacker shoulders

and a wonky eyebrow going on.  But here she is in all her glory.

I have signed up for a free class and here is the link

http://carolyndubeartworkshops.com/

so now my finger is healed, and my shoulder is fixed and I am to dazzle the crowd in my bathing suit in the swimming pool.

hit me with your best shot

this guy looks better in person, the face colour does not look like that

I am  joining Feb challenge of 29 faces in Feb, I am still

making my faces but have not been showing them, so stay tuned you

will  have 28 days of them.  

Well today is Sunday, and we are off to a family function, I am

in charge of bringing Greek Salad.  Its hubby's family, my family

is just me and my sister, plus my sister does not live here, she

lives in Winnipeg about a 1000 miles away.  Well have a great

Sunday and see you on Monday

Take me to Europe

I wanted this collage to feel European and old

Click on picture to make it appear bigger

When I create collages it takes me a while,

first I have a ton of stuff to look thru

I have tried to organize it, and I have

gone thru it and thrown alot of junk out

but truthfully its hard to organize that stuff

second you have to think of what looks pleasing

to your eye.  I am not one who can just

throw it down and call it done, I wish I was

Sometimes I don't know when to call it done like

this one, I still thinks it need more.

What do you think?

Pattern Play

I love pattern and in another life would loved to be a surface designer

and have my patterns on sheets and bags, 

wanted to thank everyone for the nice comments about my interview

you to can do it, all you have to do is email her and she sends you

some questions and you get to pick which ones you answer and

you can take as long as you like answering them, go ahead try it,

I would love to read your interview

today is all about getting my stiches out of my finger

going out for lunch with hubby

walking the dog (it has warmed up here thank god)

having leftovers

and doing some art hopefully, whats your day look like?

Exciting news

decided it was time to start drawing some anatomy (lol)

hers are a bit lopsided but her shoulder is up

well here is some exciting news I am the

featured artist on Jennibellies site

if you want to read the interview here it is

http://jennibelliestudio.blogspot.ca/2013/01/tell-all-tuesday-featured-artist-lee.html

you too can be a featured artist just email her

deadeye

as you can see her eyes are not equal, but I am still learning

so I am cutting myself some slack here

so today I am going to tell you my all time favourite art

tool, can you guess I bet you can

your right

white out

not a white pen

but white out in pen form from staples

that is my go to art supply any time I think

I need a pop of something, go back and look and

my art you will see it, I should probably buy stock

in that company.  It lasts longer than a white pen

writes over anything and you can control it just like a pen

Do you have a favourite art supply you use over and over

Excitement is in the air....

I have started this post at least 4 times, and I still don't have 

much to tell you, that's the trouble when you are retired

your not out and about with people all day long. I could tell you

its bathroom cleaning day , that we

are having leftovers for dinner, that I might go to Walmart,

that is cold and windy here but that's to predicable 

I could tell you on Thursday the bandage comes off my

finger, and the stitches come out

i could tell you I did this bird last night well watching

Downtown Abbey

I could tell you that's all for today and I will have more

exciting stuff tomorrow, try to contain your excitement

until tomorrow

something for you today

 

found 2 really good sites for you today

a really cute valentine project  

 

http://www.robenmarie.com/blog/2013/1/26/tag-cardboard-valentine-tutorial.html

 

 

and a painting demo by flora bowley

she finishes a painting fast

its very inspiring 

 

http://vimeo.com/58224937

dont play with my mandolin

well yesterday started out good, but ended with a trip to the medi centre

The shopper was coming for dinner I decided to make broccoli and sirloin lettuce wraps

low fat and very good

I decided I wanted to do matchstick carrots and pulled out my 

brand new never been used Mandolin, yes I was playing top

chef ...so I was doing the carrots and decided to use another

blade, so to make a long story short, the blade went into

my finger and cut it down to the bone.  Now I am all alone

so I am very calm and go and get the first aid kit

and bandage it up.  And continue on cooking, but the mandolin is now put away never to be used again.

The bandages are getting soaked with blood so I decide to go

to the Medi Centre.  2 stiches later I am home and cooking supper.

The only thing that hurt the worst was the freezing going into my finger.

So now I have a big honking bandage on my finger, and a plastic bag because I

cant get it wet. So I look like a total dork, but guess what finger it is, not the nice one,

so I am hoping some idiot will honk at me, and he wont be able to miss the finger.

The Change up

CLICK ON PICTURES TO MAKE THEM BIGGER

I decided a change-up was in order for today, back to my

colour, you know I love me some colour

I was sketching the other night , drawing from my mind, I know

it sounds crazy but I mean not looking at anything to draw

but trying to draw without a reference, so I decided to

start small and this is what I came up with.  I finished it

and added some colour, scanned and called it done. Then

yesterday I came back to it, and added more colour.

So which one do you like?

Its all about the mood

I did this collage awhile ago, when I created it , I wanted it

to appear dark and moody, and make you wonder about the

woman

well today its snowing again, so today I am going to make

some banana   pecan muffins, home-made tomato soup in the crockpot

and make a Greek salad and call it dinner

what do you do on cold stormy days, do you cook comfort food?

Happily Ever After....

this one i did on a painted background, with

some old hand made paper (the red) some

text I found in a newspaper

some old box material and some bits of

painted paper

I thought the text fit perfectly with the 

the picture (i dont remember where the picture came from)

the studio is purged

and today I am going to try a new bookbinding method I

learned on Youtube

A little taste of PARIS

CLICK ON THE PICTURE IT WILL APPEAR BIGGER

I have a hard time creating collages because I feel they should

tell a story, that they make sense, that they are not just

pieces of paper thrown down 

So I envisioned this collage to be like a piece of

graffiti stuck to a wall on a building in Paris

I had an old piece of packaging that I created this collage on

found the image in a magazine

had some french tape

found a paris map a long time ago at a used book store

used distress ink and sandpaper to grunge it up

and and oil stick (the red)

Other than that it is snowing again, and the presidential

inauguration is on TV this am

and I am purging in the studio  

its leftovers for dinner

and that is it for today whats on your schedule

Are you a multitasker

these are some little doodles I did well watching TV, I think I was watching

a Doctor show, hence the nurse doodle.

do you like to doodle well watching TV, or do you have to concentrate on the show

or are you a multitasker and can do two things at once?

A room with a view

Well its Saturday, its cold and windy and generally crappy out

I have decided not to brave the weather and plan

on staying in all day and just make some art

and if you would like to see a collage that I made out of some provided collage elements here is the link.

I am at the end, http://mailmesomeart.blogspot.ca/2013/01/collage-sheet-postcards-part-1.html

what are your doing today?

Hats are forever

One thing I need improvement on is drawing hats

I know this doesnt even look like a hat

these people can make hats looks good\

http://artofmyrajae.blogspot.ca/2013/01/myra-anderson-blue-hat.html

http://jkbees.blogspot.ca/2009/10/painting-and-enjoying-autumn-weather.html

maybe because I look like crap in hats is why I cant draw them,

i would like to be one of those people that can throw on a hat when  I am having a bad hair day , and look totally fabulous, but alas the shopper and my friends say that doesnt happen.

Last night we took the shopper and the boyfriend out for dinner to celebrate my

daughters new position.  She got a fabulous new job and so we were celebrating it.  Today I am off for a haircut, and then lunch with hubby and the mother inlaw, then home to do some collages.  Stay tuned for Monday begins collage week over la casa lee. But its ladies all weekend and then you probably wont see them for awhile, but never say never.

oh here is some fabulous ways to paint paper and stuff great videos take a peek

http://thequeenofcreativity.blogspot.ca/2013/01/painting-papers.html

Lady in Red

I decided to finish the week with my ladies

since I have many more drawn and not shown

as you can tell from most of my art

my go to colour is red

 the only thing in my cupboard

that I have which is red is my winter coat

and I never wear red lipstick like my ladies

do you have a colour which you always use

in your art?

The Changeup is coming

your probably thinking to yourself god is that all she ever draws

well this month I planned on drawing lots of women

because I want to get better at them

 but my interest in waning and I am moving into

doing some collage, so the girls might cease

and collage might take centre stage for awhile

Question of the day

your probably thinking to yourself, what's on her head,

that is not her hair I assure you

its suppose to be one of the nett things they used to

wear on their hair back in the 40's , needless to

say it did not turn out as I envisioned it.  Here is a question

for you, when you see something in your head, and put

it down on paper, does it turn out the way you saw it?

Monday Blues

snowing today

 still suffering from a cold

going to start swimming again on Tuesday

shoulder therapy is over, good as it is going to get

making potato soup for dinner

comfort food needed on a cold day

carving small stamps

Art Lesson

I have made a big error on this drawing do you know what it is?

Okay times up, when you start to shadow (example on the nose)

you stay on the same side for your shadows, unlike me, who did both

sides (that is a bad thing dont do it)

Big head, small body

I am trying to draw the whole person

as you can see i am having a bit of trouble

her head seems to large for the body

I have been down and out with a bad cold

doesn't seem to be getting any better

I did get the flu shot, so no flu, like everyone else in this world

but I did get the cold

so that's all for today 

I think a hot toddy is in order

She's a bit wonky

I saw this ad in the W magazine i don't even know what it was for

so I tried it out, I know the hand and the eye need work

I have been practising body parts

so your going to see body parts that don't quite look

like they should, just know practice makes perfect

plant,girl,birds

I have managed to incorporate everything I love to draw in this one doodle

girls, birds and flowers (lol) a little overkill I think

All done with Markers, because I was to lazy to go to the studio

and paint

I like markers they give me the colour I like

today I am having an ultrasound

I am drinking the water as I type

then to the bookstore

then to Michaels

then home to do some housework

a girl gotta do it sometime

to you from me

This is from my everyday book, I usually write, not type in it, but just wanted to show you a sample of it,
I use a three ring binder, the size of the paper, lined paper, and I draw in it, make lists, journal, and doodle.
I thought you might enjoy some of these sights below, I like them and they are doing some fun things you might enjoy

http://www.ihanna.nu/blog/2013/01/365-preparing/

I am going to do this one, for sure.  I create something everyday anyway, so I am going to give it a try...

http://alisaburke.blogspot.ca/2013/01/fashion-friday-jewelry-organizer.html
I just emailed the shopper and told her about this one, her earrings are all over her house......

http://allididwaslisten.blogspot.ca/2013/01/listening-to-you.html
you could be her featured artist

http://aprilmariecole.blogspot.ca/2013/01/what-do-you-get-from-cereal-box.html
an amazing journal created from a cereal box, gosh I wish I was talented in that way

http://balzerdesigns.typepad.com/balzer_designs/
If you have not been here go, she shares freely her talents and tutorials

http://blogdelanine.blogspot.ca/

http://andria-drawingnear.blogspot.ca/2013/01/the-year-in-books.html
She wrote down all the books she is going to read this year, I am going to do it different, I am going to write
down all the books I want to read, and by the end of the year see which ones I actually did read I am limiting it to 10, a girl has another things in her life you know

http://jennibelliestudio.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/tell-all-tuesday-featured-artist-carin.html
You could be her tuesday featured artist , I sent in mine and will be soon, just one thing on my bucket list

http://www.robenmarie.com/blog/2013/1/3/introducing-the-12-project.html
an absolute beautiful thing to do for someone, I have a friend who is so sick and has been for years, I might do this for her

http://artofmyrajae.blogspot.ca/2012/12/thirty-paintings-in-thirty-days.html
a beautiful website full of amazing colour and art, and 30 paintings in 30 days, go quickly and check it out


http://mailmesomeart.blogspot.ca/
I love this one, I do it all the time, I just mailed off the collage postcard will show it tommorow

http://www.robenmarie.com/blog/2013/1/5/upcycled-calendar-cards.htmlhttp://www.robenmarie.com/blog/2013/1/5/upcycled-calendar-cards.html
a great tut on using old calenders, she also has some great tut on her blog


so there we are,hope you like the list, the more I find the more I will share

lee

Problem corner.....

Art from my doodle book

As you all know I am trying to lose weight, its an ongoing issue with me

and I plan to beat it

Christmas was a little set back, but I am back on track again

logging my food, writing on my daily life diet blog

http://thejourneyweightloss.blogspot.ca/

and excerise all helps

but I have a neighbour a nice neighbour, a thinner neighbour, who

does not know about my struggling with my weight, but she

insists on bringing baking over weekly and just now another

square was delivered.  I know I know I could tell her,

but its one thing telling the blog world about my weight (lol)

but not my neighbours although the proof is in the pudding

(oh god another food reference).  So i just cut it all up

and put it in the fridge.  Now hubby is trying to watch

his weight and does not need the calories.  I could

freeze it, but as you know I have a dirtly little secret

http://leekre.blogspot.ca/2012/12/my-dirty-little-secret.html

She feels she should do this for us, because we do so

much for her, oh my I am going on.  So what to do

i dont want this in my house, and I dont want to hurt her

feelings, any thoughts?

 

 

 

pattern play

As you all know I love colour, I love pattern

In another life I would have loved to be a paper or fabric designer

art and pattern go hand and hand

this happens to be one of my go to sites for eye candy

http://printpattern.blogspot.ca/

I think as an artist you must look at pattern because of colour

colours you think would look like crap look great together, and you garner ideas

My favourites colours if you have hot guessed are red and yellow and green

primary of course, they pop they make me happy

MORE....

MORE IS MY WORD FOR 2013

I want more art in my life

more exercise

more fun

more colour

more friends

more reading

more being in the moment

more understanding

more listening

so that's my word